With a shortness of Breath
by LastTimelordChild
Summary: You taught me courage of stars before you left. How light carries endlessly, even after death. With shortness of breath, you explained the infinite. How rare and beautiful it is even to exist. (Song lyrics to "Saturn" by Sleeping at Last.) (Sting and Future Rogue Fic) (Please read and review!)


Sting could smell him. The scent was unmistakable, a smile of relief was plaster on his face as he turned the corner.

The ally was dark and ruble littered the ground. A shadowy figure was on the ground leaning against the broken wall. With confusion written on his face he took a deep breath of the air around him. The familiar scent was still around Sting, but now that he had gotten closer he could detected small hints of blood.

"Rogue? Man are you alright?" He rushed to the boy's side, but when the figure in question had gotten up so the light of the street lamp hit him. It wasn't the Rogue that Sting had been looking for.

It was the future Rogue. He eyes widen when they recognized the blond. After telling Natsu about the cause of his shadows he was determined to run from the future that awaited him. Even if it were only for a few short seconds that he would be given to rest. But it seemed that the Gods were going to be cruel to him and show the one thing that he loved the most right before he would disappear. The one thing that he destroyed.

Sting was to surprise to say anything or do anything.

But the look on Rogue's face was that of heartbreak. Tears gathered in the corner of his eyes.

"I thought I would never see you again!" He took a shaky step forward, raising his hand he moved to stroke Sting's cheek. The touch was soft and gentle. As if he was scared of him just vanishing. "You look just like I remember…" Rogue's voice was so soft and broken that it took Sting off guard.

With tears still in his eyes, Rogue close the small distance between them.

"I'm so sorry…" He murmured. Wrapping his arms around Sting's neck he pulled him into a simple _hug_.

His body was shaking with so many emotions that the Shadow Dragon thought that he would surly faint from it all.

Sting was quiet and the familiar sent that had somehow over taken his senses gave him a sense of calm. All he could see at that moment was that his friend was in pain and he was going to make it his job to stop that pain. Even if it was with a simple hug. No matter what happen to the future Rogue, Sting was not going to hold it against him.

With far more confidence he rose his arms, which had been at his side that whole time, and wrapped then around Rogue's back pulling that slightly bigger male closer.

He could have sworn that he heard him bite back a whimper.

"I love you so much, you have no idea how much I have missed you." Rogue's voice was soft and if it was anyone else then they wouldn't have been able to hear what he had said. But Sting was a Dragon Slayer and one of the many perks was that he was gifted with very sensitive hearing.

Confusion and surprise painted themselves on his face and he pulled back slowly.

His whole body had turned stiff at the sudden statement and he noticed that the same went for Rogue who had dropped his arms so that he only had a hold on Sting's shoulder with shaking hands. His face was bowed and Sting saw tears sliding down his face.

"Rogue…" His voice was not the strong tone that he was known for. It was far gentler.

It only seem to make the boy in question far more emotional. Memories flashing through his mind of a time that he had _his _Sting by his side. When he was able to wake up to blond hair tickling his nose or when he was able to simply lean in a steal a kiss with no worries.

It broke Sting's heart to see Rogue like this.

Slowly he reached out and took his chin in hand and turned his face to meet his eyes. When they finally made eye contact, the world stood still. At that moment they remembered what they were fighting for. And it was for one another.

Sting at the moment was just acting on instinct. So nothing crossed his mind when he moved closer. Their lips ghosting over each other. The air around them started to grow with a strange form of tension. Something that had Sting's skin start to grow hot.

"Kiss me…" Rogue had demanded.

And soon after, Sting found himself doing just that.

It was soft, slow, and hesitant.

Sting had no idea what he was doing, pushing Rogue against the wall he tried to find a good rhythm and when the other gasp in surprise when they made contact with the broken wall. The blond took this as his chance and slowly let his tongue enter the new territory.

Rogue wanted to cry at the very moment their lips met. In the back of his eyes he could see the very scene where he and his Sting shared their first kiss. The gentle caress of the lips, the hesitation when Sting wrapped his arms around him pulling him closer.

It was the exact same he could have sworn that he had traveled back in time, and God didn't it hurt.

He clung to Sting as if his life depended on it, and in a way it was.

The kiss was starting to become desperate.

"Sting give him the days that I could never have!" Rogue at this point was letting the tears fall from his tightly closed eyes. "Please don't let him turn like me! I don't want to see you leave me all over again!"

The blond was not sure what was going on, but he was starting to feel the weight of Rogue against him slowly start to disappear. Behind closed lids he could see a gold light start to brighten.

"Be the light that will save him from the shadows."

Sting let his eyes shoot open and at that moment Rogue was no longer a solid being in his arms. He was beginning to turn into beautiful golden glitter.

_No, no, no, no, no. _

"Rogue! Don't go!" He screamed. Fear was gripping his heart and tears were gathering in his eyes.

When he reached out for him, his hands went right through him and hit solid stone.

"Sting, I'm so happy that I got the chance to see you again. You will not believe how much I have missed your smile. The simple sound of your voice. You taught the courage of light before you left. Thank you do much for that." Rogue began to change in form. His once long hair was started to shorten like he use to have it. The tattoo surrounding his eye disappeared.

For one last time he was simply Rogue.

The sight alone made Sting take a few steps back in shock, his eyes were wide with fear and his knees grew week.

"The future is changing, but I have no idea if it's for the best." Rogues explained, but a smiled formed on his face when he saw that he had turned back to what he used to be like.

The glow around him was starting to become brighter, his figure disappearing behind the glow.

"Give your Rogue the days that I was forced to lose. Please be happy for _me._"

With those last words, the golden light engulfed him and like that he was gone.

"Rogue!" Sting screamed with fear clenching his throat, Tears fell from his eyes to slide down his face. He crawled to where his friend used to stand and all he could see was dirt and rubble.

"Come back you idiot! I was supposed to protect you…" He whispered into the night air.

Then like a train, the scent hit him. The scent that had started the whole ordeal in the first place. The scent that Sting was able to take confront from.

Like a softly spoken pray, he heard.

"_Sting…_"


End file.
